Peru: Machu Picchu, Nasca Lines & Culinary Tour 10 Days

Summary

From Lima’s flavors to Machu Picchu’s heights, Peru’s layers unfold

You’ll taste Lima’s seafood with locals, fly above ancient Nazca Lines, sip wine among desert vineyards, wander Cusco’s vibrant markets, meet Quechua artisans in Sacred Valley villages, and finally stand quietly among Machu Picchu’s misty stones—a journey full of sensory surprises and small human moments you’ll remember long after you leave Peru.

What’s the experience like?

He’s pouring pisco into a glass before I even sit down. The tavern in Pueblo Libre is loud—someone’s birthday, maybe?—and the air smells like citrus and old wood. Our guide, Rosa, nudges me to try the butifarra sandwich first (“Eat before you drink,” she laughs). I didn’t expect to love Lima so much—the colors in Miraflores are brighter than any photo, and the Larco Museum’s pottery is…well, some of it made us giggle. The city tour weaves through colonial plazas and then suddenly you’re staring at a 17th-century convent where saints walked. It’s a lot for one day. And then dinner at Pescados Capitales—seafood I still dream about.

The next morning we’re off early for Paracas. That drive out of Lima is something else: city haze giving way to desert emptiness. Flying over the Nazca Lines feels unreal—I mean, you can see a monkey traced in the sand that nobody on the ground ever sees. Back on land my legs were wobbly (not sure if it was nerves or just hunger), but lunch in Ica helped. There was this old bell tower at Tacama winery and rows of vines stretching out forever; our host explained how they’ve been making wine here since 1540. Tasted sweet and sharp at once. We stopped at Huacachina Oasis too—palms around a green pool ringed by sand dunes. Kids were sliding down dunes on boards while we sipped chilled wine.

Cusco hits different—literally, the altitude got me for a minute. San Pedro Market is chaos in the best way: fruit sellers shouting prices, smells of corn and cheese everywhere, women weaving bright textiles right there as you watch. Rosa pointed out the famous twelve-angled stone on Hatun Rumiyoc street; people actually line up to touch it (I did too). Sacsayhuaman fortress looks like giants built it—those stones are massive—and Q’enqo has this cold cave altar that gave me chills even though it was sunny outside.

In the Sacred Valley we met Quechua women spinning alpaca wool between their fingers so fast I couldn’t keep up with what they were saying (my Spanish is terrible). Pisac market was full of color; I bought a scarf that still smells faintly of smoke from someone’s stall fire. Lunch at Inkariy Museum came after climbing up terraces at Moray and walking along blinding white salt pans in Maras—I got salt in my shoes for days after that. Ollantaytambo felt like stepping into an Inca time machine.

Machu Picchu morning started before sunrise; mist everywhere as our bus zigzagged up from Aguas Calientes. The guide let us wander a bit after explaining how each terrace worked—I found myself standing alone above the Urubamba River hearing nothing but birds and wind for a moment that stretched out strangely long. It all felt heavy and light at once—maybe that sounds dramatic but it really does something to you being up there. Even now back home sometimes I catch myself thinking about those stones holding secrets under clouds.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Arrival and transfer in Lima

• Arrive in Lima
• Meet and greet at airport
• Transfer to hotel

Day 2 — Lima city tour and cultural visits

• Tour Love Park and Huaca Pucllana
• Visit Main Square and Cathedral
• Explore Santo Domingo Convent
• Visit Larco Museum
• Enjoy pisco drink in Pueblo Libre
• Visit Magic Water Tour park
• Dinner at Pescados Capitales restaurant

Day 3 — Paracas and Nazca lines flight

• Depart to Paracas Bay
• Fly over Nazca Lines
• Transfer to hotel
• Free time at hotel

Day 4 — Ica desert and winery tour

• Visit Tacama winery
• Tour El Catador pisco cellar
• Visit Huacachina Oasis
• Enjoy Ica gastronomy
• Return to Lima

Day 5 — Flight to Cusco and city tour

• Transfer to airport
• Fly to Cusco
• Meet and greet at Cusco airport
• Transfer to hotel
• Visit San Cristobal Plaza
• Explore San Pedro Market
• Visit Korikancha temple
• Visit Santo Domingo Church
• Walk San Blas to Hatun Rumiyoc street
• Visit Inca Roca Palace and Twelve Angle Stone
• Visit Main Square and Cathedral

Day 6 — Cusco archaeological sites tour

• Visit Sacsayhuaman fortress
• Explore Qenqo Inca Shrine
• Visit Puca Pucara viewpoint
• Visit Tambomachay monument
• Free afternoon in Cusco

Day 7 — Sacred Valley and cultural experiences

• Visit Awanacancha camelid complex
• Visit Inca and Colonial Pisac
• Walking tour of Colonial town
• Shop at Pisac handicraft market
• Visit Inkariy Museum
• Enjoy lunch at Inkariy Museum

Day 8 — Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu approach

• Visit Living Culture Yucay Museum
• Visit adobe manufacturing centre
• Visit traditional chicheria store and folklore
• Explore Moray terraces
• Visit Maras salt mines
• Buffet lunch
• Visit Ollantaytambo archaeological site

Day 9 — Machu Picchu guided tour and return

• Bus to Machu Picchu
• Guided tour of Machu Picchu
• Lunch near Machu Picchu
• Return to Cusco
• Transfer to hotel

Day 10 — Departure from Cusco

• Departure transfer

Top questions

How many days is this Peru tour?

The tour lasts 10 days with 9 nights of accommodation included.

Is pickup from my hotel or airport included?

Yes, private transfers between airports, hotels, bus stations and railway stations are included throughout the trip.

Do I get to visit Machu Picchu?

Yes, there is a guided Machu Picchu excursion with entry ticket and buffet lunch included.

Is food included on this tour?

Yes, several lunches are included such as seafood dinner in Lima, lunch at Tacama winery in Ica, buffet lunch in Sacred Valley and near Machu Picchu.

Are flights part of this package?

The domestic flight from Lima to Cusco is not included; you need to book it separately but airport transfers are provided.

What kind of accommodations are provided?

You’ll stay in selected hotels each night across Lima, Paracas/Ica region, Cusco/Sacred Valley and Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Town).

Is the Nazca Lines flight safe for children?

The Nazca Lines overflight is not recommended for children under 8 years old due to safety reasons.

Are there any altitude concerns?

Cusco sits at high altitude; travelers prone to altitude sickness should bring medication or consult their doctor beforehand.

Do guides speak English?

The local guides speak English during all main tours and activities.

What’s included

Your journey includes nine nights’ accommodation in handpicked hotels across Lima, Paracas/Ica region, Cusco/Sacred Valley and Aguas Calientes; all private airport-hotel-bus/railway station transfers; guided city tours in Lima and Cusco; entry fees for major sites including Larco Museum, Sacsayhuaman Park and Machu Picchu; pisco tasting experiences; buffet lunches in Sacred Valley and by Machu Picchu; dinner at Pescados Capitales seafood restaurant; wine tasting at Tacama winery; Nazca Lines overflight from Pisco airport (up to 12 passengers per plane); visits to local markets and artisan villages—and plenty of time for wandering or resting between adventures.